St. George, Utah " Helen Avery Larson passed away August 30, 2014 at her daughters home in Washington, Utah with many years of a life well lived. She was born October 31, 1919 in Kanosh, Utah to John Andy Avery and Ethella Foster Avery. In her younger years living on a farm, she rode horses and herded cows. At Fillmore High School she played basketball, tumbled, and loved dancing. Later in life she was a real Jazz fan, not wanting to miss a game on television. While she was attending Dixie Jr. College she met her sweetheart Curtis McKay Larson of St. George, they married, and a short time later they were sealed in the St. George Utah Temple. As a young military wife, she moved with McKay to California until World War II ended. In St. George they built their home where they have lived for 67 years. As a housewife she loved to sew, crochet, knit and quilt, canning and freezing everything from venison, fish, grapes, figs, tomatoes, jams and jellies, etc. She liked to make up stories to tell her grandchildren (using them as characters) and write poetry. Many of these are found in notebooks as she practiced her penmanship. Favorite things were puzzles and crossword puzzle books. On the piano and her organ she would be heard playing music by ear, never having taken a lesson. With McKay she enjoyed fishing, hunting and going with him as he found the television signals and built dirt roads for St. George to bring television into the county. Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she attended the 5th Ward where she taught primary classes for many years, was a Cub Scout leader, served on the compassionate service and quilt committee for Relief Society, was a librarian, visiting teacher and temple worker. Christmas was her favorite holiday, picking out gifts for everyone in the family including grandkids, great grandkids and great-great-grandkids. She liked making candy and decorating her house for Christmas and having the family get together for Christmas Dinner and also for Thanksgiving. Helens home was a favorite place for friends to hang out. She always made them feel welcome. If she had any fault it would be spoiling her family. She loved to cook, making cakes and soups and taking them to the family. She would take the kids to get fast food, especially to Burger King. She liked her Wards Pine Valley parties and enjoyed the sisters in her Family Home Evening Group and in her Ward. She had a personal relationship with her Heavenly Father and was often found reading her scriptures. She enjoyed many trips with her brothers and sisters and their spouses including cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean. A cruise to Panama Canal with her daughter, trips to Quartzite, along with trips with McKay to the TV Conventions. Guided tours to Branson, and her favorite, the Church History Tour. She liked visiting with children and loved babies. She never hesitated to ask an opinion of someone she just met or give a friendly hello to a stranger. Helen is preceded in death by her parents: Ethella Foster and John Andy Avery, sister Jean (Asenath) and husband Clark Tolton, sister Evelyn and husband Donald Hall, and brother Loraine and wife Barbara Cater Avery. She is survived by a sister: Mildred (Jerry) Gilnar, and brother Clair Dean (Carma) Avery. She is survived by her children: Robert McKay (Sharon) Larson of Las Vegas, Carol (Lee) Bunnell of Washington, Utah, Curtis Kent (Heidi) Larson of St. George, Utah, Cinda Gayle Larson of St. George, Utah, 11 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren. The family would like to thank the Hospice and any of those who helped with her later care. Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 6, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at the St. George LDS 5th Ward Chapel, 85 South 400 East, St. George, Utah. A visitation will be held prior to services from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the chapel. Interment will be at the St. George City Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, 435-673-4221. For condolences, full obituary, and funeral listings please visit our website www.metcalfmortuary.com.